Hottentots, who wore well acquainted with the nature of the country,
and the habits of these savages, talked with each other very seriously
and warmly on the subject, but were unable to come to any determination.
Some of my fellow-travellers were exceedingly alarmed,
and began to fear the worst ; but one of them coincided in opinion
with me, that we should not allow mere reports, perhaps greatly
exaggerated, to deter us from going forward on our journey. At
last, we all agreed to suspend our final decision till we had reached
the Roggeveld.
After supper, the night being calm, and the sky serene, all the
Hottentots were called together for prayers. They assembled around
our fire, seating themselves orderly on the ground, and, with well-
tuned voices, joined in an evening hymn, in which the missionaries
and their wives took the lead. After this, a long extemporaneous
prayer was said by one of the missionaries ; and, as soon as this was
finished, they retired to sleep round their respective fires.
To me, an assemblage of this kind, in the open air, and under
such circumstances as the present, was a scene both novel and interesting;
to which, the dark hour of night, and the wild loneliness
of the spot, gave an effect that was legendary and romantic ; and I
could easily have thought it a caravan of pilgrims travelling to
the Holy Land. But the pleasing spell of fancy was dissipated, and
all my warm emotions cooled, when reason reminded me that it was
only a party of people who, with, perhaps, a few exceptions, had
learnt to sing psalms by rote, and whose motives for admitting missionaries
to dwell with them, might probably not proceed from a
sentiment purely religious.
I cannot imagine any thing more delightful and gratifying to a
good and feeling mind, than the act of returning thanks With devout
gratitude to the Great and Good Creator of the universe, for the numerous
blessings we are daily permitted to enjoy ; and of imploring
the aid of His Divine Spirit, in strengthening our hearts in the love
and pursuit of virtue. Could but thé rude uncultivated savage be
converted to sentiments such as these, with what satisfaction would
not every philanthropic man view crowds of missionaries pouring
over all the uncivilized countries of the globe. But, alas! human nature
does not admit of so much perfection; and this scheme, so fascinating
to the enthusiast, may, so far as its professed object is concerned,
prove at last to have been only an Utopian vision. Yet our benevolence
towards our fellow-men, while it is within reasonable limits, has
no irremoveable cause.for despairing of being able, by judicious
means, to convey the blessings of civilized life to nations now lost in
the darkness of ignorance; nor ought the failure of those who reject
the aid’ of reason and common sense, to operate in deterring us from
the attempt
1M . Want of water compelling us to quit this place, we
removed early, in the day to the Juk rimer (Yoke river), at the
distance of about five miles further. Here our hopes were again
disappointed: not a single drop of water could any where be found,
even by digging; yet, as the oxen Were miserably weak and weary,
it was necessary to halt a few hours.
In the interim, I took a botanical ramble, and added forty-eight
plants to my collection *, many of which I never met with either
* Antliericum squameum
Phlomisparvifolia, B. Cat. Geog. 1232.'
Fruticosa. Rami tomentosi. Folia
nudiuscula ovata lanceolataquè, subintegra.
Flores flavi. Calyx valdè
tomentosus, dentibus subulatis.
Cyphia bastata. B. Catal. Geog. 1234.
Volubilis. Folia hastata, laciniis
linearibus.
Codon Royeni
Hyobanche sanguinea ?
Geranium spinosum, Linn.
And species of the genera
Phlornis ■
Calendula, 2 species
Othonna
Hermannia, 2 species
Leysera
Indigofera
Erinus, 7 species
Senecio
Pelargonium munitum. B. Cat. Geog.
1240. Glabruni. Folia bi-pinnati-
fida. Pariicula dichotoma spinoso-
lignescens.
Atriplex microphylla ?
Aptosimum indivisum. B.
Colutea frutescens, Linn.
Marrubium Africanum
Barago Africana
Lycium Afrum
Heliophila chamamcélifólia. B. Cat.
Geog. 1226.
Selago
Plantago
Pappophorum
Erioceplialus
Ononis
Gazania
Buclmei'a
Nemesia
Cottila
Aizoon
Silene
Hemimeris, 2 species
Zygophyüum
. Aristida
G G